Phenomenology of autism: Between essence and diversity

November 24, 2025 - November 25, 2025
University of Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä
Finland

This will be an accessible event, including organized related activities

Sponsor(s):

  • Academy of Finland

Speakers:

University of Heidelberg
(unaffiliated)
University of Exeter
KU Leuven
University of York
University of Exeter
Cardiff University
(unaffiliated)

Organisers:

(unaffiliated)

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Venue: University of Jyväskylä (Auditorium C4) In-person only

Research on autism has long focused on identifying cognitive and behavioral deficiencies within the autistic person without sufficient regard for the nature and structure of autistic subjectivity. This leads not only to a regrettable gap between scientific descriptions and autistic experience but sheds doubt on whether mainstream autism research manages to capture the lived realities of autistic persons at all.  In recent years, this tendency has been questioned by phenomenological scholars within the fields of both psychopathology and neurodiversity based on a shared premise of relying on autistic lived experience for conceptualizing autism. While phenomenological psychopathology has offered rich analyses of autistic perception, embodiment, intersubjectivity, and affectivity, critical phenomenology of neurodiversity has challenged pathologizing frameworks and emphasized autistic ways of being as forms of difference rather than deficit. By fostering dialogue between these perspectives, the conference aims to both rethink autism from the perspective of phenomenology but also critically explore how autistic subjectivity may challenge and nuance phenomenology itself. 

Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UjrUsf3lJDYpmGRV9EErh0gyzBsdU0ikoXzxUF33GLo/viewform?edit_requested=true

We are committed to making this conference an autism-inclusive space both in terms of academic orientation but also practical organization. We urge both speakers and audience to be mindful of the normative dimension of language and concepts used to describe autism when engaging in discussions. Moreover, we aim to create an environment where autistic scholars and participants can engage in discussions without unnecessary barriers.

Monday, November 24th

9.15-9.30: Opening words

9.30-10.30: Till Grohmann(KU Leuven): “Sensing in Autism. Pluralizing the world or experiencing it differently”

10.30-10.40: Break

10.40-11.40: Sofie Boldsen (University of Jyväskylä) & Joona Taipale (University of Jyväskylä): “The contiguities of autistic experience”

11.40-13.25: Lunch

13.25-14.25: Ruby Hake (University of Birmingham): “Doubling, tripling and beyond: a phenomenological exploration of autistic camouflaging”

14.25-15.00: Coffee

15.00-16.00: Tim Schnitzler (Heidelberg University): “Unidirectional and mutual incorporation in autism spectrum disorder”

Tuesday, November 25th 

9.30-10.30: Valeria Bizzari (KU Leuven): “EAIE-Scale—The Examination of Autistic Intersubjective Experiences A qualitative tool to the exploration of sociality”

10.30-10.40: Break

10.40-11.40: David Ekdahl (Aarhus University) & Lucy Osler (Cardiff University): Title TBC

11.40-13.25: Lunch

13.25-14.25: Joel Krueger (University of Exeter): “Authenticity, Affectivity, and Artificial Empathy: A Critical Analysis of AI in Autism Social Skills Training”

14.25-15.00: Coffee 

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November 23, 2025, 9:00am EET

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